I really like this story. The author is very good at painting pictures with words. The descriptive language sets the mood. I also like the main characters and the buildup of the story. There are no loose ends, except for the surprise at the end of the story. Otherwise, the content is summarized in a good way, letting the reader know what happened and what will happen to the characters.
The descriptive language made me envision the places where the story is happening. I have never been to a house like the one Robert lives in, but I could envision the house and the area, and I could also envision the people from the descriptions.
I would like to thank Donna for letting me read this story before it was published. I really enjoyed it. She manages to build up the excitement and add a lot of surprises on the way. I found no inconsistencies in the story.
The story is good, and I didn’t skip any parts of the book (which I do if I get bored with a book.) And I love the fact that I couldn’t predict the end. The last-minute twist came as a total surprise!
It’s fate when two grieving people from Seattle meet at Glenwood Canyon in Colorado, where they both intend to end their lives. Lilly has lost her only child and Robert, his wife. Robert saves Lilly from drowning before he has a chance to carry out his own suicidal plan. Robert is a self-made billionaire from Italy with a four-year-old, Mary Elizabeth, at home, suffering from the loss of her mother and the neglect of her father, and Lilly, who was on her way to success just shy of a Ph.D., had lost everything after losing her daughter in a fatal car accident. Nor does she have anyone to turn to having been disowned by her parents. With nowhere else to go, Robert takes Lilly to his house and hires a full-time nurse for her until she recovers. This act brings a lot of speculation, considering Robert’s high profile. On top of everything else, unbeknownst to Robert, a madman named Zac is out for revenge.
The story is intricate, with numerous characters, the side characters of Carl, the ever-watchful chauffeur, and the housekeeper, Sarah, being my favorites. It was actually much easier for me to get into these minor characters, even Mary Elizabeth, the child, than the main characters. It was almost as if the aloof nature of the characters of Robert and Lilly were fused into their thoughts and actions, which made it hard for me to penetrate their souls. But then, people have complicated natures, especially having suffered tragedy.
The descriptions were good, and the plot, although complex, was well thought out. I felt an abundance of synchronicity, which in my mind was guided by Christina, Robert’s dead wife. I would recommend it to readers of murder, crime, or romance novels.
This is the very best book I have read in a long time. I am not the typical reader of romance novels and tend to avoid such. Instead, I most appreciate a good psychological thriller, murder, mystery horror, and anything dark. These are my genres of choice. Donna dispelled my hesitancy to read romance novels by successfully pulling me into the storyline and hooking me from the first page to the last. The twists and turns that connected and interconnected Zach, Robert, and Lilly in unanticipated ways were genius. Detailed character development allowed me to visualize and experience each through my own lens. Though I have typically been able to predict storylines and endings, I couldn’t do so in this case. How refreshing! I was sad for the story to end, and excited about the next book, which is a perfect ending for a well written novel.
This novel is a beautiful and realistic tale about two people struggling with grief, running into each other under difficult circumstances, and learning to forgive themselves and move on with their lives. The characterization of the main characters is excellent—each person is unique and well-fleshed out. A lot of work has also been given to the supporting characters.
What impresses me the most is the story's main antagonist. He's a conflicted person with a lot of depth. He's not the typical villain and this is refreshing. There are also plenty of unexpected twists in this story.
Overall, this novel is smoothly written, with a nice amount of descriptive "gems." I enjoyed reading it and I think other fans of suspense and romance will like it too.
